07 August 2008

A consortium led by ECOTEC was today announced as the successful bidder to act as the managing body for the Government's £100 million Youth Sector Development Fund (YSDF).

The other three consortium members are Rainer Crime Concern, Business 2 Business and Prime Timers. The consortium will provide an integrated package of business support as well as administering grants to successful third sector organisations who work with some of our most vulnerable young people.

The managing body will provide mentors to third sector organisations selected to receive YSDF funding as well as supporting them to develop and implement more effective business systems and expand their provision.

Minister for Children and Young People, Beverley Hughes said:

"I am delighted with the appointment of the ECOTEC led consortium as the Youth Sector Development Fund Managing Body. Each consortium member brings very real experience that will enable them to support effective youth third sector organisations, build their capacity and achieve sustainability. This appointment demonstrates this Department's commitment to the sector, recognising the excellent work that such organisations do, and often with the most disadvantaged young people."

ECOTEC's Technical Director, Chris Walker, says:

"The YSDF is an important new development in building the capacity of third sector organisations to provide young people with the services they need. We are very excited to be offered the opportunity to bring together the broad range of skills in this partnership to develop the capacity of the selected third sector organisations and manage the delivery of the programme."

The Youth Sector Development Fund offers the opportunity for third sector organisations working with young people to bid for a mix of innovative investment and bespoke business support. Earlier this month the second round of YSDF funding was launched, making up to £30 million available to ambitious youth third sector organisations looking to build their capacity and achieve long term sustainability.

Five third sector organisations have already been allocated grants totalling £27 million through the YSDF. They are - Kids Company, UK Youth, LEAP Confronting Conflict; Fairbridge and Speaking Up.

Editor's Notes

1. The four consortium members are ECOTEC, a specialist programme management consultancy; Rainer Crime Concern, a successful charity that works with young people, families and schools to help young people stay safe; Business 2 Business who deliver capacity building services to SMEs and Third Sector Organisations; and Prime Timers, a social enterprise that places experienced business people into Third Sector Organisations to support successful organisational development.

2. The Youth Sector Development Fund (YSDF) has been set up to provide a direct response to the commitments in Aiming High for young people: a ten year strategy for positive activities to build the capacity of third sector organisations.

3. The YSDF will support third sector organisations (TSOs) that can demonstrate effective approaches to engaging and empowering young people, particularly the most disadvantaged. From April 2008, up to £100 million will be available to provide a mixture of large and small grants and expert business support to help these organisations sustain and grow their provision so that more young people can benefit from the activities they offer.

4. Grants totalling £27m have already been awarded through the YSDF to five organisations, Leap Confronting Conflict, Fairbridge, Kids Company, Speaking up and UK Youth who each help and support some of our most disadvantaged young people. http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0040

5. In the second YSDF funding round we expect to fund organisations that work with the most disadvantaged young people, and whose proposals clearly focus on current youth priorities, particularly those that offer services to young people who are at risk from a range of negative outcomes, including becoming involved in crime.

6. The specification for the second bidding round of the YSDF is available to download from http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/ Further information, including information on workshops for organisations considering submitting an application for YSDF funding and support, is also available on this site. The closing date for receipt of full proposals from youth third sector organisations is 3rd October 2008.

Contact Details

Public Enquiries 0870 000 2288, info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk

Press Notice 2008/0168